OAK unveils plans for aircraft production reorganisation in Russia

Plans for a major reorganisation of Russia's production plants have been revealed by United Aircraft (OAK) in an effort to focus the country's aircraft output and improve efficiency.

Russia's aerospace industry is being integrated under the OAK umbrella. This reorganisation is designed to allow the production of combat aircraft to be increased fourfold and civil aircraft by 37 times over the next 15 years, to meet the output target set for OAK by Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The country's largest plant with 16,000 workers is Sukhoi's KnAAPO facility in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, which is completing Su-30MK2 assembly in preparation to switch to the Su-35 single-seat fighter from around 2012 and the PAK FA fifth-generation fighter. KnAAPO also assembles the Sukhoi Superjet 100, production of which is due to peak at 70 a year in 2011-12.

Production of Beriev Be-103 seven-seat single piston amphibian will be moved to Taganrog, while the 32-seat Su-80 turboprop is to be either cancelled or transferred to China.

The Irkutsk Aviation Plant is the second largest producer, employing 12,000 personnel. It is focusing on the Yak-130 new generation advanced jet trainer and its derivatives, including a single-seat strike aircraft and a an unmanned combat air vehicle.

Irkutsk's main product is the Su-30MKI fighter, which will be produced until 2014 to meet a long-term Indian contract, after which the plant will switch to the MS-21 airliner. The factory's Be-200 line will be transferred to Taganrog, following completion of the last two of seven aircraft ordered by launch customer, Russia's ministry for emergencies.

VASO in Voronezh, with an 11,000-strong workforce, will continue low-rate Ilyushin Il-96 assembly (three units annually) until 2012, when the line will close to make room for the Il-214 and MTA airlifter. In the interim, the plant will build the Antonov An-148 regional jet, initially in passenger form, and then as a freighter at an annual rate of 24 units from 2010. From 2015, VASO will build the all-composite wings for the MS-21.

VASO is also retrofitting Ilyushin Il-76s with Aviadvigatel PS-90A76 engines, primarily for the Russian air force, and when that programme is completed it will switch to low-rate production of Ilyushin Il-112 tactical transports.

The KAPO plant in Kazan, which employs 6,000 people, will primarily focus on upgrading Russian air force Tupolev Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 strategic bombers, while continuing low-rate output of the Tu-214 airliner and Tu-160, which is to be superseded by a next-generation strategic bomber. Under its own initiative, which is yet to have the support of OAK, KAPO is planning to produce 100-150 Tupolev Tu-334 102-seat regional jets.

Aviastar in Ulyanovsk employs 8,000 workers and will increase annual output of the Tupolev Tu-204 to 24 in 2010 (including KAPO's production of its Tu-214 variant). Aviastar's old An-124 Ruslan production plants are expected to be employed to produce the new-technology Il-76, dubbed the Il-476.

Tooling will be transferred from the TAPO plant in Tashkent, which is to gradually wind up Il-76 output and focus on producing the 64-seat Ilyushin Il-114 turboprop. TAPO will also build wings for the Antonov An-70 and An-124 empennage. Manufacture of wings for the Il-214 and MTA is also likely.

RSK MiG fighter production will be narrowed solely to NAZ Sokol in Nizhny Novgorod, where the MiG-31 interceptor and MiG-29UB two-seat trainer are built and refurbished. Upon completion of 14 Yakovlev Yak-130s for the Russian air force, production will be moved completely to Irkutsk.

Sokol will build the single-seat MiG-35 and MiG's new UCAVs, while the Moscow-based Znamya Truda plant will close. Some equipment will be transferred to LAPIK in Lukhovitsy, which will continue as a base for MiG upgrades and flight testing. LAPIK's newest shop, which was constructed for the Tu-334, will be used to carry out Airbus A320 freighter conversions from 2011-12.

The city of Taganrog on the Black Sea coast will house OAK's amphibian and flying boat centre of competence. After merging the Beriev design house and adjacent TAVIA plant, the centre will produce the Be-200 and Be-103 using tools transferred from Irkutsk and KnAAPO.

Taganrog will also supply maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the Russian and other navies, including retrofitted Tupolev Tu-142s and newly built Antonov A-40/42 Albatros aircraft.

Meanwhile, the plant in Smolensk, which produces the Yakovlev Yak-18T and Technoavia SM-92 Finist utility pistons, has become a member of the Tactical Missile Corporation centring on missile technology.